Dieter Schwarz

Dieter Schwarz
Born (1939-09-24) 24 September 1939
Heilbronn, Germany
NationalityGerman
OccupationBusinessman
TitleFormer chairman and CEO of Lidl and Kaufland
Term1977-2004
SuccessorKlaus Gehrig
Spouse
Franziska Weipert
(m. 1963)
Children2 daughters

Dieter Schwarz (born 24 September 1939) is a German billionaire businessman. He is the owner of the Schwarz-Gruppe. He is former chairman and CEO of the supermarket chain Lidl and the hypermarket chain Kaufland.

As of July 2025, he net worth was estimated to be $46.6 billion.[2]

Career

Schwarz was born in Heilbronn, Germany, in 1939.[3] After leaving high school, he joined his father's fruit wholesale business.[3]

In 1973, Schwarz opened his first Lidl store. He became CEO of the business when his father died in 1977.[2]

Personal life

He is known for being very private and does not speak with the media.[4]

References

  1. "Forbes profile: Dieter Schwarz". forbes.com. Forbes. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Dieter Schwarz". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Bloomberg Billionaires Index". Bloomberg.com. 2025-07-26. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  4. Glotz, Julia. "Dieter Schwarz: a self-made mystery in the age of radical transparency". The Grocer. Retrieved 2025-07-27.